THE poll on the UK's future in the European Union is expected to cost more than the vote on a revamped voting system in 2011.

TAXPAYERS will have to stump up £100million to hold David Cameron’s ­referendum on the ­European Union.

It covers the price of running the poll but would not include the wider cost to the UK economy, which could run into billions.

The cost is based on the £75million cost of the 2011 referendum that rejected the AV voting system.

Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and English local authority elections were held on the same day, reducing the cost.

Taking away those savings and factoring in inflation, the cost is likely to rise to at least £100million by the time of the poll, which is likely to be held in 2017 – if the Tories cling on to power.

Next year’s independence referendum is expected to cost £10million.

The estimate came as it was announced that Britain was sliding towards a ­triple-dip recession.

Labour attacked Cameron’s “skewed priorities” for focusing on the referendum during a period of such financial hardship.

Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran said: “This referendum is a heavy price to pay for David Cameron to buy off his backbenchers when we should be focusing on growing the economy and creating jobs.”

Roland Rudd, chairman of Business For New Europe, warned that leaving the EU could cost the UK economy about £30billion in foreign investment a year.

And in a speech in Dublin, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the prospect of the EU poll would damage the Scottish economy.

She called it “a misguided policy that threatens tens of thousands of jobs in Scotland”.